In addition to the electoral process being manipulated and fraudulent, the absence of a credible alternative ensured Erdogan's victory.

His AKP party and its far-right MHP ally also secured a parliamentary majority. However, the left and pro-Kurdish party HDP (People's Democratic Party), despite heavy state repression (its presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş, is in jail awaiting trial on trumped-up charges) achieved the 10% voter threshold with 12%.

Electoral victory will not mean plain sailing for Erdogan as Turkey's capitalist economy is already on the rocks.

This will exacerbate the country's social problems and, at some stage, provoke a working class response.